


My Sweet Lord

by Deetvar



Series: Mishaverse [2]
Category: Fire Emblem Series, Fire Emblem: Seisen no Keifu | Fire Emblem: Genealogy of the Holy War
Genre: F/M, Love Triangles, Religious Discussion, Unrequited Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-27
Updated: 2018-06-27
Packaged: 2019-05-29 06:07:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,889
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15066803
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Deetvar/pseuds/Deetvar
Summary: An examination of faith and between a priest and a general





	My Sweet Lord

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt: Holy & Confession.

The Silesian breeze was particularly cold, and yet this did little to discourage the devoted who easily walked into the halls of the Church of Sailane. Vicars and curates prepared for the mass influx of people, as today marked the Vernal Equinox. Fury recalled halls similar to these in the capital of Silesse, as if it were the day of her appointment to be an Angelic Knight of Silesia.

Having been gone so long, Erinys took a stroll in the church’s halls once most of the people had left today’s service. A glass stained wall showed in vivid detail the Crusader Sety kneeling before Forseti. Other details stood out to her, but the one that most caught her attention was a blond man. She recognized him from somewhere, but his name eluded her.

“Sightseeing? If you’d like, I can accompany you through Sailane.” Erinys said to the man as he looked to the statues of past Silesian rulers.

He looked to Erinys with a smile. “Thank you, but I believe I’m quite fine here right now.” He stared intently at the statue, noticing its details. “If I may ask, and I mean no offense, but I don’t see much mention of other Crusaders— why is that?”

She could hear the sincerity in his voice and responded, “The other Crusaders are mentioned in passing but it was Forseti, Guider and Judge Of Men, who proclaimed this land as ours. He guided our First King, and cleansed the Silesian snow of ash and blood.”

“Fascinating. I’ve always been curious to the practices of Silesians but never had firsthand accounts until now.” His smile gleamed through with curiosity. “Would it be rude of me to ask the Archbishop if she has any texts I could study?”

Erinys’s brow widened at the suggestion. “I’ve never encountered anyone so inquisitive to know our ways. First thing most travelers do is marvel at the snow and stillness of our lands.” Having realized that she still did not know this man, she spoke again. “My apologies, I’m afraid I’ve been neglectful and rude to you. I’m Erinys. Angelic Knight of Silesia.”

He bowed down to her. “Claude, Priest of Edda. A pleasure to meet you, General.”

* * *

 

“As he spoke the lord of gales, Forseti, struck his champion’s tendons with his scepter, and filled his heart with valor and righteousness. In a light gleam of radiance, Sety could brisk across the plains as if a hyena pouncing for scraps. ‘Sety, swiftest and noblest of the Crusaders, raise your palm and unleash a typhoon upon these wicked souls of Loptyr. Accept no ransom nor mercy, strike down all those who aid them in their escape.”

Claude clenched the text tightly in his hands, as if he were a child given a gift. Fury chuckled at this beady expression. “It’s seems you quite like this tale.”

“I do. The imagery is quite impressive and I love the poetic styling of this tale. Thank you for gifting this, General Erinys. But I still must ask, are you sure want to give me your copy?”

Fury nodded. “Yes, it’s quite alright. I don’t have much need for it.”

Claude’s brow raised. “What do you mean?”

Erinys turned her head in a bit of shame. “I’m afraid I don’t pray as much as I used to. Since Prince Lewyn left all those years ago, I haven’t felt much need of it. My comrades have become distant to me and my Queen has been grief stricken. I really should begin my daily prayers as I used to; I’ve shown poor faith. ”

Slowly patting to her shoulder he nodded. “I don’t see why that’s a problem. You act in good works and love for others. That is enough, and the rest will naturally follow. Pray as you feel it necessary,

“Truly?”

“A few years ago, there was an priest who had taken to missionary work in the Northern Thracia. He was a great scholar who understood the struggles of the Thracian Peninsula, I had such high hopes for him. However he was excommunicated from the Order, his practices….were…abhorrent to say the least.” His expression once pleasant was now pained, even Claude’s voice cracked upon reflecting on the mention of these _practices_. “What matters, General, is this: one’s faith can be contorted to do ill. I have no doubt the priest I spoke of believed in the same gods as I do. But the ultimate purpose of the Blagi Church is different, not to preach our gods to others. The goal of the Blagi Church to tend life, not to harm it.”

Erinys was moved by Claude’s words, and fell into tears. “It is said that Crusader Sety instructed his disciples to combat the evil within themselves first, before we combat the evil in the world.”

“What good counsel. I would agree.” Claude reached to his pocket, offering a handkerchief to Fury.

Reaching for it, she cleaned her face of her tears. “Perhaps our faiths are far more similar than we thought.”

“Indeed, so much can be learned from other’s view.”

Erinys turned to Claude, unaware of the light blush on her face. “Perhaps if you are still in doubt owning my text, would be open to an exchange?”

Claude smiled. “I’d love to.”

* * *

 

Reaching Thove would not be easy, and yet the army persisted forward. Sylvia had attached herself solely to Lewyn, hugging his arm as they marched. Fury watched as they argued to each other.

“Sylvia, give a rest? I got to talk to Sigurd about the enemy commander.” He said as he tried to wrestle the dancer off his right arm.

“Fine!” Sylvia pouted away from the Prince.

Lewyn pressed his fingers between his eyes. “Look, I just need to talk to Sigurd is all. We can talk another time, sound good?”

“A-okay!” Sylvia lifted her arms and skirted around Lewyn in a dance.

Erinys approached Sylvia, her lance in hand. “I’m sorry, he can be a bit…rude.”

“I know! I once asked him to dance with me and he went off to run ‘errands.’” Sylvia sighed as she pressed her foot onto the frozen soil. “Has he always been like this?”

“Since I’ve first met him.”

“Do you like him?” Sylvia asked, her eyes beaming with curious intent.

Flustered, Erinys darted her eyes off Sylvia. “I-well he’s a good friend, and I’ve known him since we were young- well he’s just the Prince of Silesia and-”

“Ah, I see. You wouldn’t mind if I go after him?”

Sylvia was by no means a terrible person, and she did make Lewyn happy. “No…I don’t mind-”

Placing her arms on her shoulder, she pouted. “You sure? You ain’t just pretending to not like him?”

“Why would I need to pretend?” Erinys’s blood began to boil. Memories of her and Lewyn flashed in her mind, all those moments dear to her. Her mind wandered to the day he left and how everything fell apart, the nobles arguing over the line of succession. Should they have bothered to retrieve Lewyn?  Maybe if she said her piece all those years ago, none of this would have happened

“I dunno. Well, I’m going after him.”

Erinys turned away from Sylvia, her back facing Sylvia. “Well, I’d like to think the next Queen of Silesia would have a bit more dignity and grace.”

Sylvia raced forward and tugged Fury to face her. “What are you saying? I’m no good? Who are you to decide what Lewyn’s Queen ought to be like?” Her teeth bared as her hands formed into fists

“Wait-no I meant-” Erinys held her arms chest high as if to surrender.

“I don’t want to hear it!” Sylvia yelled. She ran toward the front of the army, looking for Levin.

Erinys looked toward the side of the road at a small block of ice across the river water. Her reflection was shown in the ice, her eyes shot with blood as tears dripped down. She leaned toward her reflection. “Fight the evil inside you…” She reached to bring the ice block toward her, but instead it fractured upon her touch.

* * *

 

Erinys found Claude within the Thove archives, a pile of manuscripts and books on his left side. Surely Claude has most of the day here, if not then multiple days. Fury stood next to him, waiting for him to recognize his presence as to not disturb his reading.

“Hello, General.” Claude moves his book to the side to address Fury. “How may I help you?”

Twiddling her thumbs, Erinys hesitates. Her heart feels heavy, burdened by the weight of her remorse. Claude made no change to his expression, he waited for her response.

Erinys inhaled a deep breath. She buried the doubts in heard and spoke. “As a priest of Edda, is it common practice in your faith for a confession?”

“It is.” Seeing Erinysy distressed brought worries to Claude, fearful for her well being. “Is there something the matter?”

“I’d like to make a confession.” Fury pressed, her eyes brimming with determination.

Claude understood, he had washed his hands and instructed Fury to do as well. Afterward they made their way to a detached corner of the Church Of Thove. Claude prepared the rites and had instructed Fury how to perform a proper confession.

“Have you committed a wrong?”

“Yes.”

“To whom have you wronged?”

Pursing her lips, she thought what precisely. “To Sylvia, for my anger against her choices on how to conduct herself. To...Prince Lewyn, for presuming to understand him better than he himself.”

“Do you resolve under blessed gods to conduct yourself to cease and correct wrongs in the future?”

“Yes.” Erinys would make peace with herself and be there to support her prince and whoever was to be Queen.

“Then rise.” With that Claude, dipped a jar of water over Erinys’s head. As the water dripped toward her face, she could feel at ease. There was one last thing to do.

“Lady Sylvia, if you would please?” Claude asked of Sylvia, hesitant of approaching in light of Erinys’s presence.

“Why should I?” Sylvia pouted as she held her arms crossed.

Claude spoke in a earnest clarity. “Fury would like to mend this wound.”

Sylvia made a skeptical stare but nonetheless uncrossed her arms and came forward. “Alright, I’ll listen.”

Erinys looked intently in Sylvia’s eyes. “I’m sorry; it was wrong of me to interfere with your affairs. I didn’t mean to speak ill of you, and I wish you luck in whatever you endeavor. I do not expect you to forgive me but at the very least I do not wish for us to be adversarial to one another.”

Sylvia sighed, her eyes unable to look forward. “Well...it wasn’t the best thought of mine to bring up the question? I pressed you into a place you didn’t want to talk about.” Sylvia rubbed her left arm, and looked away. “I’m sorry.”

Claude moved between them. “Now that both of you have reconciled your differences, would you please move toward another.” Erinys and Sylvia did as he was told, facing another but both struggling to make eye contact. “Do you promise to not repeat this again?”

At an instant both raised their voices. “Yes!”

Claude nodded as he saw the bright sunbeams gaze over them all.

**Author's Note:**

> I took the verse Claude was reading from a scene of the Iliad where Poseidon speaks to Ajax and retrofitted it. I thought it fitting to emulate a piece of classic Greek mythology since the current localization has favored more Greek names for the Silesians. I.E Femina -> Hermina. Claude’s response to Erinys was inspired by Psalms 10:16. Yes, Claude is talking about August when he mentions the priest in Northern Thracia.
> 
> This prompt does take place in the Mishaverse if you squint.


End file.
